


It's Cold

by arivess



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-22
Updated: 2018-03-22
Packaged: 2019-04-06 08:47:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,020
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14053275
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/arivess/pseuds/arivess
Summary: “Hey, Ignis. It's cold.”“Indeed.”“Can you come over?”“Out of the question. Don't make unreasonable demands.”At least, that was what Ignis wanted to say.What he said was a non-committal, “Hn,” before hanging up.





	It's Cold

**Author's Note:**

> I started writing this in early January, when it was really cold. I really wanted to finish it before it stopped being really cold. (It's still really cold. But it really shouldn't be.)

“Hey, Ignis. It's cold.”  
  
“Indeed.”  
  
“Can you come over?”  
  
It was the coldest winter Insomnia had seen in over a hundred years. Snow fell in fluffy, downy piles, painting the world a glistening fairyland white. It was so very beautiful, and so very cold. In between the snowfalls – like now – temperature drops spiked well below freezing; the weatherman had joked that it was so cold, even the ice felt cold, and Ignis was inclined to agree.  
  
Therefore, going to see Noctis was completely...  
  
“Out of the question. Don't make unreasonable demands.”  
  
At least, that was what Ignis wanted to say.  
  
What he said was a non-committal, “Hn,” before hanging up.  
  
And so it was, half an hour later, that Ignis found himself standing at the front door of his apartment, bundled in so many layers he felt like a stuffed animal, wrapped in every single scarf he owned, and carrying two large bags of supplies in each hand. His only consolation was that the sun was still out, providing the barest hints of warmth; his trip home promised to be that much worse.  
  
After some more rather dismayed staring at the beautiful, sparkling white world with its gusting winds and slippery roads, Ignis gave a resigned sigh and stepped out.  
  
He was only delaying the inevitable, after all. He had made his choice years ago.  
  
~*~  
  
Noctis wasn't _sulking_. Really, he _wasn't_. He was cold, he was bored, and he was hungry, but he really, most certainly, was not sulking. His heating didn't seem to want to come on, and he was out of Cup Noodles, and winter vacation was getting... he didn't want to say “boring” exactly, because it sure beat going back to school, but he'd run out of things to do by himself, and it was too cold to go out anywhere.  
  
But that was no reason to sulk, not for the Crown Prince of Lucis. Neither was the fact that his most trusted advisor, his oldest friend, his _provider of food_ , hung up on him. Not at all.  
  
Noctis sighed and picked up his phone. Dialled. Opened his mouth, apology at the ready; maybe he was a _little_ unreasonable, just a bit...  
  
The phone rang and rang, and Ignis did not answer.  
  
After the fourth ring, Noctis gave up. And okay, maybe he was sulking a little now. His stomach rumbled, and he shivered from a sudden chill.  
  
Well. There was no helping it. He'd just have to take care of himself. He was a capable, independent, resourceful almost-an-adult. He would be _fine_.  
  
Noctis appraised the situation. Both hunger and boredom could be solved – rather ingeniously, if he did say so himself – by sleep. The biggest problem was the cold. He was already cocooned in all the blankets he could find – which, incidentally, was only two, because he had no idea where Ignis stored the rest – but! He did know where Ignis kept extra towels, piles of plush, fluffy towels that were a bit too small to be proper blankets, but hey, beggars couldn't be choosers. Not to mention, Noctis was far from a beggar – far from even a normal person. He was the scion of ancient kings, with the magic of the Crystal flowing through his veins. He was not going to let something as simple as a little cold defeat him, not when he controlled the power of the elements.  
  
Yes, he could see it now, himself, napping on the couch, wrapped in soft, fluffy towels, a small bonfire blazing before him. He would ride out the cold that way, and then go out to eat once spring returned to Insomnia...  
  
See, he didn't need Ignis _every_ time something went wrong.  
  
~*~  
  
When Ignis arrived at Noctis's apartment, he was greeted by the sight of something resembling not so much a prince as a patchwork teddy bear, trying in vain to turn off a blaring fire alarm in a room full of smoke. He wondered for a second if he'd somehow entered the wrong room – or even building – but the call of, “Ignis, help!” confirmed his destination.  
  
Well, first things first, he supposed. The smoke was going to be a health hazard if he didn't take care of it soon, judging by the amount of... success Noctis was having. The questions would have to wait until later. And oh, were there going to be questions.  
  
“Now then, Noct,” Ignis said, after they'd managed to open the windows, and the smoke was being carried away on the frigid winter breeze, “dare I even ask what happened?”  
  
“Uh, well...”  
  
“...I suppose I could hazard a guess.” Ignis took a look around. Aside from the usual dishevel of the apartment, there was a distinctly odd mixing bowl in the middle of the room, covered in soot, with what looked like burnt notebook paper inside – presumably the source of the smoke. Beyond that, there were towels scattered around the room, most of which fell off of Noctis in his mad scramble earlier. Even for someone as full of... creative... ideas as Noctis, the situation seemed a tad ridiculous.  
  
“Uh, well, you see...”  
  
Ignis waited for him to continue, and raised an eyebrow when he didn't. “What I 'see', Noct, is that you ignored fire safety regulations and very nearly managed to commit arson.”  
  
“Yeah, sorry.” Noctis looked up at him sheepishly. “I, uh, didn't mean to do that.”  
  
Ignis gave him his most severe look. “I've no doubt of that. But don't think I'll let you off that easily. Do you realize how much worse that could have gone? What were you _thinking_?”  
  
“It would have been fine...”  
  
“It bloody well wouldn't! You could have died, if not from the fire, then the smoke! As heir to the throne, your life is not just your own--”  
  
It was the wrong thing to say, of course. He knew the moment the words left his lips, but it was too late to take them back. Noctis got up from the couch with a huff, shrugging off a layer of towels.  
  
“Yeah, yeah, whatever.”  Noctis arms crossed defensively. “What were you doing here, anyway? Did you just come here to lecture me or something?”  
  
“I came because you asked.” Ignis sighed, his own words a reminder of his purpose. He patted the spot beside him. “I'm not here to lecture you, Noct. I was simply worried.”  
  
When Noctis sat, after giving him a long suspicious look, Ignis continued. “Now...”  
  
A sudden draft blew in, and Ignis shivered. Ah yes, the window they'd opened to let out the smoke. Even through his coat, Ignis could feel the iciness of winter, and Noctis had once again cocooned himself in towels.  
  
And then Ignis realized. He hadn't felt warm since he left his own apartment, not in the building, not even in the room before opening the window. And there was Noctis, a miserable, towel-swaddled ball...  
  
“Noct...”  
  
Noctis didn't look up, his gaze fixed on the blackened bowl of ashes. Ignis wondered what thoughts ran through his head. He regretted his earlier outburst even more. He stood, then knelt in front of Noctis. The teen looked up with a start.  
  
“Noct, is everything all right?”  
  
“Uh, yeah, why?”  
  
Ignis frowned. “Tell me the truth. Is the heat not working? Is that what all this--” he gestured to the room “--is about?”  
  
For a moment, Ignis thought he wasn't going to answer. Then, Noctis let out a long breath. “...Yeah. Hasn't been on all day.”  
  
“Why didn't you _tell_ me?”  
  
Noctis shrugged. “Nothing you can do about it, right? I called the maintenance people, they said they'll fix it soon. I thought I could take care of myself until then.” He flashed Ignis a crooked smile. “Guess I fucked up.”  
  
Ignis felt a pang in his chest. When was the last time he'd seen Noctis so vulnerable? He looked less like the tough teen he acted and more like the child that used to follow Ignis around, all wide eyes and shy smile. Before he realized it, he'd wrapped his arms around Noctis's small, shivering frame, pulling him into a tight hug. After a moment, Noctis's arms found their way around him.  
  
“Been a while since we've done this, huh.”  
  
“Indeed.”  
  
A sigh. Noctis relaxed against him. “Hey, come sit with me. That's gotta be hard on your knees.” Once Ignis was satisfactorily seated, Noctis leaned back into him. “Were you worried?”  
  
“Terrified.” Ignis wasn't sure himself if he was joking or not.  
  
“...Sorry.”  
  
“It's... all right. All I ask is that you take your own safety into better consideration next time.”  
  
“Mm.”  
  
“Noct--”  
  
When Ignis looked down, Noctis had his eyes shut, his breathing even. Ignis shook his head and shifted into a more comfortable position. “Typical.”  
  
After a moment's hesitation, he ran a hand through Noctis's hair. There was no response. “Honestly, Noct, you'll be the death of me. I don't know what I would do if anything were to happen to you.”  
  
His only answer was the muffled sigh of the winter breeze.  
  
~*~  
  
When Noctis woke up, everything was... well, not quite “all right”, but better. Much better. It was still cold, but the temperature had become something of a light chill, rather than a bone-deep freeze. He found himself tucked into bed, covered by layers of blankets. The smoke from before was all but gone, and he could smell delicious whiffs of cooking.  
  
After a few more minutes revelling in the almost-warmth, Noctis struggled out of bed, wrapped a blanket around himself, and ventured back out to the living room, stomach rumbling.  
  
“Noct, you're awake.” Ignis, bent over something on a low table, looked up at his approach. “You have impeccable timing. I was just about done with the preparations.”  
  
“Yeah?” Noctis took a moment to examine Ignis's works. He had moved Noctis's coffee table into the centre of the living room and shifted the rest of the furniture back a bit, instead laying cushions and blanket nests around it to create a cozy atmosphere. On the table was a small portable stove and a happily bubbling pot from which emanated tendrils of steam and the smell of _delicious_. All around it were trays of thinly sliced meats and... leafy things. Noctis had seen something like this while passing by a restaurant before, but had never tried it. He raised an eyebrow in question. “Smells good, Specs. Whatcha making?”  
  
 Ignis smiled, proud and a touch secretive, and Noctis felt his lips curve up in response. “This,” he said, moving his arms in a grand gesture over the spread, “is known as hotpot.”  
  
“Hot... pot.” Well. There was a pot. And it looked pretty hot. That didn't tell Noctis much.  
  
“It's an excellent meal for cold weather,” Ignis said, “or so I'm told.” He sat at the table and patted the spot beside him. “You take some of the raw foods, like so...” Using a pair of tongs, he grabbed a slice of meat for demonstration. “...put it in the boiling stock for a few seconds to cook it, then voila. You can dip it in one of these sauces, for extra flavour.”  
  
“Huh.” Noctis plopped down and shrugged out of his cocoon. Somehow, the air seemed warmer. “Looks easy enough. Where'd you even get this, anyway?”  
  
“Well, I've seen it advertised at a few new restaurants, and wanted to try it for myself. A cold day like this seemed the perfect opportunity.”  
  
“Yeah, I bet.” Noctis wiggled into a more comfortable position. With the ever boiling pot between them, the air was filled with hot, savoury steam, and the earlier chill seemed like a faraway bad dream. And of course, Ignis was the one who'd banished that nightmare. “Hey, um. Thanks.”  
  
“Noct?”  
  
“For coming here.” Noctis looked down at his hands, suddenly shy. “And for doing all this for me. Even though it was cold out.”  
  
Ignis shot him an amused look. “What was the alternative, leaving you here to die?”  
  
“Hey, I was being serious.” Noctis felt his indignation soften as a hand ruffled through his hair. It didn't help that Ignis might well have been right.  
  
“Noct, I would go to the very ends of Eos for you.”  
  
And then he'd say things like that. Noctis felt the flush creep up his neck, and pretended it was just from the warming food. “Bit dramatic, don't you think?”  
  
“Perhaps.” Ignis smirked. “But I did drive through Shiva's holy vengeance to feed you hot soup.”  
  
Well, Noctis would feel guilty, except Ignis looked like he was enjoying this way too much. “Yeah, yeah, you saved my sorry butt. You're the best.”  
  
“Excellent, then you can thank me by eating some of these vegetables.” Definitely enjoying this.  
  
“Woah, Specs, that's going too far.” Noctis laughed, and Ignis laughed, and then, because the idea struck him, the words spilled out before he could stop them. “How about a kiss instead?”  
  
Noctis snapped his mouth shut in mortification, but the stunned look on Ignis's face made him break into a grin.  
  
“...Come again?” Ignis finally asked, after wiping his expression into a carefully neutral curiosity.  
  
Except Noctis couldn't say it again, not a chance; repeating it would make it real, and there was no way Ignis would accept an offer like that – or ever look at him the same way again, after. So he did the only thing he could: he laughed, picked up an entire leaf of _something_ green, and shoved it in his mouth. “This thanks enough?”  
  
~*~  
  
Ignis wouldn't describe the situation as “awkward”, not exactly, but it was... something out of the ordinary at least. There was an almost palpable feeling of unresolved tension in the air, and he did not want to be the one to bring it up. Not, of course, that he didn't like to _resolve_ situations. He simply felt this one instance of it might be better off going untouched.  
  
And that was why, after their warm and not-at-all awkward dinner, Ignis was carefully cleaning up and decidedly _not_ thinking about what Noctis had said earlier.  
  
“It's pretty late,” said a blanket bundle beside him. Ignis looked down, then followed Noctis's gaze out the window, where bright electric lights twinkled from nearby buildings. He hadn't meant to stay that late, but what with Noctis's impromptu nap and the hotpot setup taking longer than expected, hours slipped by without his notice.  
  
“Indeed. I suppose I'd better get going soon.” Ignis gave another look out, using all of his training to hide the trepidation on his face. It had finally started warming up in Noctis's apartment, but without the sun, the outside would be even worse than before.  
  
“No, no, that's not what I meant.” Noctis hesitated, and Ignis raised an eyebrow quizzically. He fiddled with his hands before asking, “Why don't you just stay here?”  
  
Ignis stared. Hmm, that was the second time he was caught speechless in one night; he was getting worse at this. Of course, the reasons for the first time flashed through his head, and he had a brief mental image of staying the night and... more, before shaking himself out of it. How improper. Noctis was only being considerate, after all, and surely the earlier offer was nothing more than a joke, meant to catch him off-guard.  
  
“I wouldn't want to intrude,” he finally managed, though the excuse sounded flimsy even to his own ears. He was hardly a stranger in Noctis's apartment; he probably spent more of his waking hours there than at his own home, coming and going as he saw fit.  
  
“You wouldn't be intruding!” Noctis's voice turned pleading. “Uh, I mean... It's still cold, so I was hoping you could, um, help me stay warm.”  
  
Now, _that_ definitely made Ignis's mind go to inappropriate places. “Noct, I'm not sure you quite realized what you've just said.”  
  
“Wha—oh.” Noctis blanched, then turned beet red.  
  
Ignis squashed down a wave of amusement, but if he didn't feel the need to leave earlier, he didn't see much of a choice now. “Apologies, that was highly unprofessional. I'll see myself out.”  
  
Well, he was about done cleaning up, anyway. All the leftover food was packed in Noctis's fridge, and the hotpot equipment sat clean and shiny in a drying rack – he would pick it up the next time he swung around. _If_ he could face Noctis ever again, though he supposed they could laugh it off when it was less immediate.  
  
“Wait, but it's really cold.”  
  
Well, the temperature inside _had_ started dropping again, now that the mini stove wasn't on, but Ignis couldn't really help without going into the “extremely inappropriate” territory. “I've left two extra blankets on the couch, if the ones in your room aren't enough. I'll check in with maintenance to see their estimate for fixing this, and bring you a portable heater first thing in the morning...” Ignis trailed off. Noctis was _laughing_. “Noct?”  
  
“Not here, you silly. Outside.”  
  
“It's fine,” Ignis said dismissively. He'd have to ignore that comment about “silly”, which he most certainly wasn't.  
  
“It's not, and you know it.” Noctis stood, all but physically barring the door, his face both shy and determined. “Ignis, come on, just... stay the night?”  
  
Ignis smiled inwardly at the sweet, innocent question. He really couldn't resist, not when Noctis asked him like that. “Of course, Noct.”  
  
“Good,” Noctis said with a firm nod. “You need a shower or anything? I've uh... the towels...”  
  
Ignis could not hide his snort. “The towels you've woven into your winter coat, if I remember? It's quite all right. I won't inconvenience you farther.”  
  
“Well, it's not really... you're usually the one who puts them away anyway. And uh, well, then... just.” And Ignis almost missed the question in the jumble of words, “Come to bed?”  
  
“Pardon?” Third time was the charm, he'd heard. After the first two times, he really thought he'd anticipate this better, but somehow, Noctis always threw the unexpected at him.  
  
Noctis simply _smiled_ , impish and innocent, and Ignis knew he was doing it on purpose. “It's cold, you know?”


End file.
